Glad you got it sorted out! This is a perfect example of why it's worth checking your online account first before panicking. TWC's system can definitely be confusing with all these automated notices, but at least you know everything is fine with your claim. For future reference, if you ever do need to call TWC and can't get through, that Claimyr service mentioned earlier is legit - I've used it myself when I had an issue that needed immediate attention. But for routine stuff like this, the online account usually has all the answers you need.

I had this exact same thing happen to me back in February! Got a duplicate determination letter about 6 weeks into my claim and immediately started panicking thinking they were going to take my benefits away. Turns out it was just their system doing a routine review after my previous employer submitted their quarterly reports. The duplicate letter had the same approval decision and everything. My payments continued without any interruption. It's definitely nerve-wracking when you see that unexpected correspondence, but as long as both letters show you're approved for benefits, you should be good to go. TWC's system is notorious for sending confusing automated notices that make everything seem more dramatic than it actually is!

I'm a single mom who went through almost the exact same situation in Texas about 18 months ago! Here's what worked for me: 1. **File for partial unemployment immediately** based on your hour reduction. Don't wait - you can do this while still employed. I got approved because I could show my hours dropped from 40 to about 22 per week right after telling my boss I was pregnant. 2. **Document EVERYTHING** - those text messages are gold! Screenshot them, save them to cloud storage, and print copies. I wish I'd been better about this initially. 3. **Apply for multiple programs simultaneously** - don't wait for one to get approved before applying for others. I applied for: Medicaid for pregnant women, SNAP (food stamps), WIC, TANF, and local utility assistance all in the same week. Some got approved, others didn't, but it created a safety net. 4. **Contact 211** (dial 2-1-1) - they have a database of local resources including emergency rent assistance, food banks, and pregnancy support organizations. They helped me find a local charity that paid my electric bill for 3 months. 5. **For after delivery** - I was honest with TWC that I'd need 6-8 weeks recovery time with doctor's orders, and they put my claim on hold rather than denying it. Then I was able to restart benefits once cleared to work again. The system is frustrating but there IS help available. You're being smart by planning ahead. Feel free to PM me if you want more specific details about any of these programs!

Hey Chloe! I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress while pregnant - it's absolutely awful how little support pregnant women get in Texas. I went through something similar with my second baby and want to share a few things that helped me: **For immediate relief:** Apply for Emergency Rental Assistance through your county - many people don't know this exists but it can cover 1-3 months of rent while you sort out other benefits. Also check if your utility companies have pregnancy/medical hardship programs. **TWC strategy:** Focus your claim entirely on the discriminatory hour reduction. Keep it simple - "employer reduced hours without business justification after pregnancy announcement." Don't mention maternity leave plans in the initial application. I made the mistake of being too detailed upfront and it just confused things. **Food assistance:** If regular SNAP keeps getting denied, try applying through a different method - sometimes going to the local office in person gets better results than online applications. Also ask about expedited processing since you're pregnant. **Hidden resource:** Texas has something called the Nurse-Family Partnership program for first-time moms that provides free home visits and connects you to resources. They helped me navigate the system when I felt totally lost. The most important thing is to file for partial unemployment THIS WEEK based on your reduced hours. That's your strongest case right now and you need that income stream started. Everything else can be sorted out as you go. You're going to get through this! 💕

This entire thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm starting a graphic design course at Tarrant County College next week (6 hours/week, evening classes) and was really anxious about how TWC would handle it. Reading everyone's detailed experiences - especially @Sophia Gabriel's recent follow-up with the positive outcome - has given me so much confidence about being upfront and honest when I report it. The consistent advice seems to be: report it immediately, keep detailed work search records, emphasize your flexibility and availability for work, and don't panic during the review process. It's clear that TWC understands career-focused training can actually help people find better jobs faster. One thing I'm curious about that I haven't seen mentioned - has anyone taken creative/arts-related courses while on unemployment? I'm wondering if TWC views graphic design training any differently than the technical certifications and business courses most people have discussed here. My program is definitely career-focused (I'm transitioning from retail management to digital marketing), but I want to make sure I'm prepared for any additional questions they might ask about creative fields. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is amazing!

I just wanted to add another data point to this incredibly helpful discussion! I completed a similar process with TWC last fall while taking a data analytics bootcamp at Dallas College (12 hours/week, evenings and weekends). My experience was very similar to what others have described: - Reported it immediately on my payment request - Got the questionnaire about 10 days later - Had a phone interview with an examiner after another week - Benefits continued without interruption throughout the process The examiner was actually quite positive about my training choice, saying that data skills are "highly marketable" and asking detailed questions about how I planned to use the certification in my job search. They did ask specifically about the 12-hour commitment (since it's right at their threshold), but once I explained the flexible evening/weekend schedule and my willingness to prioritize any job opportunities, they approved continued benefits. One thing that seemed to help was that I had already started applying for analyst positions even before completing the program - I think this demonstrated that the training was genuinely enhancing my job search rather than delaying it. For anyone still worried: the process is much more straightforward than it seems, and TWC really does seem to support career-focused training that improves employment prospects. Just be honest, stay flexible, and keep those work search logs detailed!

I'm currently going through the exact same thing! Got my caseworker call last Thursday and have been checking my inbox like crazy ever since. It's so nerve-wracking but reading everyone's experiences here is really helpful. My caseworker was actually pretty thorough - asked about my job duties, the layoff process, and whether I received any severance. She seemed satisfied with my answers which I'm hoping is a good sign. Has anyone noticed if the determination letters tend to come at a specific time of day? I keep refreshing the correspondence section but maybe I'm being too obsessive about it. The bills aren't going to wait though, so I totally get the anxiety about timing. Thanks for starting this thread - it's nice to know we're not alone in this process!

I went through this exact same process about 2 months ago! Got the caseworker call on a Monday morning and she asked similar questions about my layoff (budget cuts at my company too). I was so nervous during the call but she was actually really professional and just seemed to be gathering facts. Got my determination letter exactly 5 business days later - approved! Then it took about another week for the actual payments to start hitting my account, but they did backpay me for all the weeks I had been requesting. The whole thing from caseworker call to first payment was about 2 weeks total. Since your separation was due to company downsizing, that's typically considered "no fault" which should work in your favor. Just keep doing those work searches and requesting your weekly payments. The caseworker call really is a good sign that your claim is actively being processed rather than sitting in limbo. Good luck!

UPDATE: I just wanted to follow up and let everyone know I finally got my issue resolved. I tried calling the alternate number (800-215-4812) suggested above at 2:45pm on Wednesday, and after about a 25-minute wait, actually got through to a person! The representative was able to verify my work search activities and remove the hold on my payment. For anyone else struggling with this, don't give up - try different approaches until something works. And DOCUMENT EVERYTHING - I had all my work search details written down which made the call go much faster once I got through.

I've been dealing with this exact same nightmare for over a month now! The 800-939-6631 number is absolutely useless - I think I've called it over 100 times at this point. What finally worked for me was using a combination of strategies from this thread. I tried the alternate number 800-215-4812 that @LilMama23 mentioned, called on a Wednesday around 2:30pm like @Esmeralda Gómez suggested, and got through after about 45 minutes on hold. The rep was actually really helpful once I reached someone. Also want to echo what others said about documenting everything - have all your info ready because they move fast once you're connected. Don't give up, it's frustrating but there are ways to get through if you keep trying different approaches!